Steering assembly

ABSTRACT

A steering assembly for securement to the wall of a boat to move the propulsion unit thereof for steering the boat. The assembly includes a two-part housing defining concave spherical surfaces. A ball having a convexly curved spherical surface extending between opposite faces is disposed in the pocket defined by the housing for swivel movement. A threaded bore extends through the ball and an elongated threaded tube extends through the bore and threadedly engages the ball. The ball has holes in one face thereof for receiving an instrument whereby the ball may be rotated to adjust the longitudinal position of the tube. A control rod is slidably supported within the tube and extends from one end thereof for attachment to the propulsion unit of the boat. The housing is circular and has holes about the periphery thereof whereby bolts extend through the holes to secure the housing to the wall of a boat.

Unite States flit 1 Wiegand [52] US. Cl. ..ll5/18R [51] Int. Cl. ..B63h 21/26 [58] FieldofSearch ..ll5/18 R; 114/144 R,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,101,821 8/1963 Hcnry ..74/501 X 3,403,655 10/1968 Warburton ..1 15/41 R 3,135,130 6/1964 Bentley ..1 15/18 R Primary ExaminerMilton Buchler Assistant Examiner-Galen L. Barefoot Att0rney-McGlynn, Reising, Milton & Ethington [ll] 3,73@,lf@

[451 May 1, 1973 5 7 ABSTRACT A steering assembly for securement to the wall of a boat to move the propulsion unit thereof for steering the boat. The assembly includes a two-part housing defining concave spherical surfaces. A ball having a convexly curved spherical surface extending between opposite faces is disposed in the pocket defined by the housing for swivel movement. A threaded bore extends through the ball and an elongated threaded tube extends through the bore and threadedly engages the ball. The ball has holes in one face thereof for receiving an instrument whereby the ball may be rotated to adjust the longitudinal position of the tube. A control rod is slidably supported within the tube and extends from one end thereof for attachment to the propulsion unit of the boat. The housing is circular and has holes about the periphery thereof whereby bolts extend through the holes to secure the housing to the wall of a boat.

17 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures Patented May 1, 1973 3,730,130

INVENTOR.

Tgg. 2 14am; MW M 1% ATTORNEY STEERING ASSEMBLY This invention relates to a marine steering assembly and more particularly to a marine steering assembly adapted for attachment to and to extend through the inner side wall of a boat adjacent the rear transom for connection to a propulsion unit or outboard motor attached to the rear transom of the boat.

The steering assembly of the instant invention is utilized with a flexible motion transmitting remote control assembly which includes a flexible conduit movably supporting a motion transmitting core element. Such a remote control assembly extends from a steering mechanism, such as a steering wheel, at the front of the boat to the steering assembly of the instant invention which is disposed or which is attached to the inner side wall of the boat adjacent the rear transom. The instant assembly provides a guide tube for movably supporting a rigid motion transmitting rod which extends from the guide tube for attachment to the motor. The guide tube is supported for swivel movement so as to move with the motor.

There are similar assemblies known to the prior art wherein a housing is secured in a wall of the boat and swivably supports an elongated guide tube. The problem with the prior art assemblies results from the fact that the length the guide tube extends from the housing must be adjusted to accommodate the particular engine to be utilized with the boat. In the prior assemblies, this adjustment can only be accomplished upon disassembly. This, therefore, requires the manufacture of the steering assembly to ship the steering assembly disassembled which creates problems in loosing some of the components and allows incorrect installation. Furthermore, the prior art assemblies require a flexible boot to provide a water tight seal because the components providing the swivelling action do not themselves provide a water tight seal. Because such a boot was required in the prior art assemblies, the prior art assemblies could not be visibly inspected without disassembly.

Accordingly, it is an object and feature of this invention to provide an assembly wherein an elongated guide tube is supported by a gimbal means in a housing for swivel movement and which assembly may be shipped to a boat manufacturer assembled and subsequently installed in the boat and then adjusted while assembled to accommodate the particular motor selected for use with the boat.

In correlation with the foregoing object and feature, it is another object and feature to provide such a steering assembly wherein the components themselves are in sealing relationship with one another to eliminate the requirement for a flexible boot which in turn allows continued visual inspection of the assembly.

In correlation with the foregoing objects and features. it is another object and feature of this invention to provide such an assembly wherein the elongated guide tube threadedly engages a ball which is supported for swivel movement in a pocket ofa housing whereby the ball may be rotated to adjust the longitudinal position ofthe guide tube relative thereto.

Other objects and attendant advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein: brought FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the steering assembly of the instant invention installed in the rear of a boat; and

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the steering assembly of the instant invention.

Referring now to the drawings, a steering assembly constructed in accordance with the instant invention is generally shown at 10. The steering assembly 10 is secured to a vertical side wall 12 of a splash well 14 of a boat generally indicated at 16. A propulsion unit or outboard motor 18 is attached to the rear transom 20 of the boat 16 in a conventional manner.

The assembly 10 includes a housing generally indicated at 22. The wall 12 has a hole 24 therein through which the assembly 10 extends and the housing 22 is adapted for attachment to the wall 12 of the boat about the hole 24.

The assembly 10 also includes gimbal means comprising the ball 26. The ball 26 is supported by the housing 22 for swivelling movement relative to the housing 22. The assembly also includes an elongated guide means comprising the tube 28. The tube 28 has threads therealong and the ball 26 has a threaded bore extending therethrough whereby the tube 28 is threadedly supported by the ball 26 for adjusting the longitudinal position of the tube 28 relative to the ball 26 upon relative rotation between the ball 26 and the tube 28.

The housing 22 includes a first member 30 and a second member 32. The first and second members 30 and 32 define a pocket presenting a concave spherical surface 34. The first member 30 defines one-half of the pocket and the second member 32 is connected to the first member 30 by bolts 36 and defines the other onehalf of the pocket. The first member 30 of the housing 22 is circular and has a plurality of six evenly spaced holes 38 about the periphery thereof for securing the first member 30 to the wall 12 of the boat by the bolts 40. The holes 38 are evenly spaced about the periphery of the first member 30 so that once six evenly spaced holes are drilled or otherwise formed in the wall 12 of the boat, the first first member 30 may be rotated and secured to the wall 12 of the boat in any one of various different positions.

The second member 32 is also circular. A of bolts 36 I are disposed about the periphery of the second member 32 and extend therethrough and through the first member 30 for securing the members 30 and 32 together. The bolts 36 may be removed to allow the members 30 and 32 to be disconnected whereby the ball 26 may be removed from the pocket if necessary.

The periphery of the first member 30 through which the bolts 40 extend is disposed in a first plane whereas the periphery of the second member 32 through which the bolts 36 extend is disposed in a second plane which is disposed at an acute angle relative to the plane of the periphery of the first member 30. Thus, the central portion 42 of the first member 30 I is offset from the periphery thereof and is disposed parallel to the plane of the periphery of the second member 32. As illustrated, the central portion 42 of the first member 30 is offset from the periphery of the first member 30 in opposite directions at opposite sides thereof. The housing 22 is made of metal such as steel and has a coating of plastic such as nylon thereover or at least over the spherical surface 34 which defines the pocket.

The ball 26 presents a convex spherical surface which is in sealing and slidable engagement with the concave spherical surface 34 of the pocket defined by the housing 22. The convex surface 44 of the ball 26 extends between parallel spaced first and second faces 46 and 48. The threaded bore 50 in which the tube 28 is disposed extends through the ball 26 between the faces 46 and 48. The ball 26 is preferably made of a glass filled nylon, although it will appreciated that it may be made of other plastic materials.

The ball 26 includes means for receiving a tool for rotating the ball 26, which means comprises a pair of holes 52 extending into the ball 26 from the second face 48. A tool having prongs for disposition on opposite sides of the tube 28 for insertion into the holes 52 may be utilized to rotate the ball 26 about the axis of the tube 28 whereby the threads of the tube 28 coact with the threads of the bore 50 in the ball 26 to move the tube 28 longitudinally to the desired position.

The ball 26 also includes an annular lip 54 extending from the first face 46 thereof. The lip 54 is in sealing engagement with the tube 28. In the preferred embodiment, the annular lip 54 is divided into four equal segments, each of which extends about the tube 28 through an arc of approximately 90.

A plastic cap 56 is disposed about a first end of the tube 28, the first end of the tube 28 being that tube which extends from the first face 46 of the ball 26. A rigid motion transmitting control rod 58 is slidably supported in and extends from the first end of the tube 28 and is adapted for attachment to the outboard motor 18. Various means known to the prior art may be utilized to attach the rod 58 to the motor 18; one such well-known means being shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,135,130. The cap 56 has an annular lip 60 in sealing engagement with the rod 58.

A flexible conduit 62 is connected by a threaded connector 64 to the second end of the tube 28 as the second end of the tube 28 is threaded. to receive the cap 64. A flexible motion transmitting core element 66 is slidably supported in the conduit 62 and extends into the tube 28. The core element 66 is of the type well known in the art consisting of strands twisted together defining a cable with a wire helically wrapped about the cable, whereby the wire may be engaged by a gear or the like for moving the core element 66 longitudinally to transmit motion. The core element 66 is connected by a member 68 to the other end ofthe rod 58, the connection by the member 68 being within the tube 28.

As will be appreciated from the foregoing description. the assembly may be shipped to a boat manufact'urer in the assembled condition and installed by securing the housing to the wall of a boat and once the selected motor has been attached to the boat, the correct longitudinal position of the tube 28 may be attained merely by rotating the ball 26. Furthermore, the ball 26 is in water-tight sealing engagement with the spherical surfaces 34 of the housing 22 and the tube 28 is in sealing engagement with the ball 26, thus eliminating the requirement to utilize a flexible boot about the assembly as a seal.

The invention has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology which has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A steering assembly for securement to a boat to move the propulsion unit thereof, said assembly comprising: housing means adapted for attachment to a boat and defining a pocket presenting a concave spherical surface, a ball having a convex spherical surface in sliding engagement with said concave spherical surface of said housing for swiveling movement relative to said housing, said ball having a threaded bore therethrough; a single elongated tube having threads therealong and extending through said bore and threadedly engaging the threads therein for adjusting the position of said tube upon relative rotation between said tube and said ball, and a motion transmitting control rod slidably supported in and extending from a first end of said tube for attachment to the propulsion unit, the second end of said tube being adapted for connection to a flexible conduit.

2. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said ball includes means for receiving a tool for rotating said ball.

3. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said housing includes a first member adapted to be secured to a wall of a boat and defining one-half of said pocket and a second member connected to said first member and defining the other one-half of said pocket.

4. An assembly as set forth in claim 3, wherein said housing is made of metal having a coating of plastic at least overthe portion defining said pocket.

5. An assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said convex surface extends between parallel spaced first and second faces, said bore extending between said faces. v

6. An assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein said ball includes means for receiving a tool for rotating said ball.

7. An assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein said means for receiving a tool comprises a plurality of holes extending into said ball from said second face thereof.

8. An assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein said first member is circular with a plurality of evenly spaced holes about the periphery thereof for securing said first member to a wall ofa boat.

9. An assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein said second member is circular, a plurality of bolts extending therethrough and through said first member for securing said members together and for allowing said members to be disconnected to remove said ball from said pocket.

10. An assembly as set forth in claim 9, wherein said periphery of said first member is disposed in a first plane and said periphery of said second member is disposed in a second plane disposed at an acute angle relative to said first plane, the central portion of said first member being offset from said periphery thereof and disposed parallel to said second plane.

11. An assembly as set forth in claim it), wherein said ball includes annular lip means extending from said first face thereof and in sealing engagement with said tube.

12. An assembly as set forth in claim 11, including a cap disposed about said first end of said tube which extends from said first face of said ball, a motion transmitting control rod slidably supported in and extending from said first end of said tube for attachment to the propulsion unit, said cap having an annular lip in sealing engagement with said rod.

13. An assembly as set forth in claim 12, including a flexible conduit connected to said second end of said tube, a flexible motion transmitting core element slidably supported in said conduit and extending into said tube, said core element being connected to the second end of said rod within said tube' 14. An assembly as set forth in claim 13, wherein said housing is made of metal having a coating of plastic at least over the portion defining said pocket.

15. An assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein said ball is made of glass filled nylon and completely surrounds the tube so as to provide a seal thereabout.

16. An assembly as set forth in claim 15 wherein said ball includes means for receiving a tool for rotating said ball.

17. An assembly as set forth in claim 16, wherein said means for receiving a tool comprises a plurality of holes extending into said ball from said second face thereof. 

1. A steering assembly for securement to a boat to move the propulsiOn unit thereof, said assembly comprising: housing means adapted for attachment to a boat and defining a pocket presenting a concave spherical surface, a ball having a convex spherical surface in sliding engagement with said concave spherical surface of said housing for swiveling movement relative to said housing, said ball having a threaded bore therethrough; a single elongated tube having threads therealong and extending through said bore and threadedly engaging the threads therein for adjusting the position of said tube upon relative rotation between said tube and said ball, and a motion transmitting control rod slidably supported in and extending from a first end of said tube for attachment to the propulsion unit, the second end of said tube being adapted for connection to a flexible conduit.
 2. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said ball includes means for receiving a tool for rotating said ball.
 3. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said housing includes a first member adapted to be secured to a wall of a boat and defining one-half of said pocket and a second member connected to said first member and defining the other one-half of said pocket.
 4. An assembly as set forth in claim 3, wherein said housing is made of metal having a coating of plastic at least over the portion defining said pocket.
 5. An assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said convex surface extends between parallel spaced first and second faces, said bore extending between said faces.
 6. An assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein said ball includes means for receiving a tool for rotating said ball.
 7. An assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein said means for receiving a tool comprises a plurality of holes extending into said ball from said second face thereof.
 8. An assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein said first member is circular with a plurality of evenly spaced holes about the periphery thereof for securing said first member to a wall of a boat.
 9. An assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein said second member is circular, a plurality of bolts extending therethrough and through said first member for securing said members together and for allowing said members to be disconnected to remove said ball from said pocket.
 10. An assembly as set forth in claim 9, wherein said periphery of said first member is disposed in a first plane and said periphery of said second member is disposed in a second plane disposed at an acute angle relative to said first plane, the central portion of said first member being offset from said periphery thereof and disposed parallel to said second plane.
 11. An assembly as set forth in claim 10, wherein said ball includes annular lip means extending from said first face thereof and in sealing engagement with said tube.
 12. An assembly as set forth in claim 11, including a cap disposed about said first end of said tube which extends from said first face of said ball, a motion transmitting control rod slidably supported in and extending from said first end of said tube for attachment to the propulsion unit, said cap having an annular lip in sealing engagement with said rod.
 13. An assembly as set forth in claim 12, including a flexible conduit connected to said second end of said tube, a flexible motion transmitting core element slidably supported in said conduit and extending into said tube, said core element being connected to the second end of said rod within said tube.
 14. An assembly as set forth in claim 13, wherein said housing is made of metal having a coating of plastic at least over the portion defining said pocket.
 15. An assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein said ball is made of glass filled nylon and completely surrounds the tube so as to provide a seal thereabout.
 16. An assembly as set forth in claim 15 wherein said ball includes means for receiving a tool for rotating said ball.
 17. An assembly as set forth in claim 16, wherein said means for receiving a tool comprises a plurality of holes exTending into said ball from said second face thereof. 